Batavia Police Chief Announces Retirement After 25 Years of Service – Shaw Local

Batavia Police Chief Shawn Mazza, who started as a patrol officer in 1999 and became chief in 2022, will retire next year, according to a city news release.

Mazza leads a police department made up of 43 officers and 12 civilians, overseeing community programs like Coffee with a Cop and Cones with Cops, expanding bike patrols and adding a community-oriented police officer who will care for a dog. comfort, according to a city press release. .

Batavia Mayor Jeffery D. Schielke praised Mazza for ensuring the police department put cutting-edge patrol concepts using the latest technology into practice. He added that Mazza has always been a “hands-on leader,” according to the release.

“I am truly sorry to lose his leadership in Batavia, but I wish him all the best for a well-deserved and healthy retirement,” Shielke said in the release.

Under Mazza’s leadership, the department adopted the Ten Shared Principles, developed through a collaboration between the NAACP Illinois State Conference and the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, according to the release.

“The ten shared principles commemorate what I consider to be 10 core values ​​that our department continually strives to achieve, with a more intentional approach,” Mazza said in the release.

The integration of these principles into the ministry’s recruitment and training is considered a major achievement. Continuing education, trust and transparency are important to the department’s culture of accountability, respect and service-oriented values, Mazza said in the release.

Mazza expanded the Batavia Police Department’s partnership with the Individual Development Association, adding a full-time social worker and improving crisis assistance for residents, according to the release.

The department has handled more than 30,000 calls during his tenure, sparking initiatives for officer well-being, such as involvement in charitable organizations like Chip in Batavia and Special Olympics, which Mazza considers satisfying and beneficial for the morale of officers, according to the press release.

Mazza’s 25-year career is highlighted by honors such as the Jason Kloese Memorial Brotherhood Award and more than 30 honors. He has held leadership positions, including president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 224, according to the release.

Mazza values ​​the relationships built within the Batavia Police Department, emphasizing the shared mission and vision between the department and city staff, according to the city’s release. He is grateful for the city’s support in pursuing his passion for missionary work, leading teams on humanitarian trips to orphanages in Haiti from 2007 to 2012, according to the release.

City Administrator Laura Newman praised Mazza’s character, integrity and abilities. She highlighted Mazza’s contributions, which left a lasting legacy of excellence in the city, according to the release.

Mazza’s last day of retirement will be January 14, 2025.

After retirement, Mazza plans to continue his humanitarian work and spend time with his family and four children, two of whom he and his wife Jessica adopted from Haiti, according to the release.